Gotham’s final episode is set to hit screens on Thursday, April 25th. With one last swing, audiences are promised the completion of the their favorite characters’ arcs. One stand out player is Gotham’s very own Bruce Wayne.

Gotham first showed audiences Wayne when his parents were murdered (an occurrence that many Batman stories begin at). This Bruce, was a 12 year old boy, unformed and naive. The finale promises to complete his journey, which viewers have been privy to for 5 years. A Bruce Wayne, once a scared 12 year old is now a valiant young man at age 18, and the finale, taking place 10 years in the future, is going to show us him become the Caped Crusader.

Bruce’s journey is one of Gotham’s shining accomplishments. The show follows Bruce as he grieves, accepts and grows front the death of his parents. This is something that is unusual for Batman adaptations, including comic books.

An example of this is Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, the movie begins with a young Bruce, however, it differs from Gotham when the movie flashes forward to an older Bruce (Christian Bale).

Gotham, because of its long form storytelling, lives with a young Bruce Wayne, played by actor David Mazouz, and grows with him. Through this, we are able to watch the development before our eyes (along with the actor’s physical growth).

FOX, Gotham 2015-2019, Season 4 Episode 2, 2017

The character is able to experience things, and the audience with him, that shapes him into a hero. This allows us to see the trails, failures, and misters that he has to overcome. So, when he triumphs, we are triumphing with him.